How To Repair Split Ends (2)

Damaged hair with split ends — Photo: Shutterstock

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What You CAN Do to Repair the Hair

When it comes to repairing your hair, specifically split ends, what you can do is make the hair APPEAR whole and healthy again. The products used to achieve this use smoothing agents and lightweight polymers to bring the split portions of the hair back together.

These products can make the hair appear healthier and less damaged, but the results are only temporary. When the hair is washed again, some if not all of the benefits will be washed away, and the product will need to be reapplied.

Many of you with straight hair may have used the trick of lightly misting the hair with hairspray because you find your finished style has little "flyaway" hairs all over the place. You simply spray the hair lightly with hairspray and gently pat the hair to make the flyaway hairs adhere to the rest of the hair. This makes the finished look smooth, silky, and healthy-looking.

That's the key thing to remember. These hair products cannot MAKE damaged hair healthy again, but they can help damaged hair LOOK healthy. The only things you can do with products are to help keep your hair healthy by using the proper products to protect the hair from styling and environmental damage. The rest of the secret to healthy hair is good nutrition and treating your hair like the delicate natural fiber it is.

Split Ends Tips

Since we’re focusing on split ends, let’s take the time to wrap things up by discussing specific tips and product types that will help you cope with split ends. Here are some Dos and Don’ts:

• DO: Remember that the hair is a natural fiber. Think of it as being like the silky fibers of a fur coat or a silk blouse. You know that these fibers have very specific needs to keep them clean and in good condition. Just as you wouldn’t scrub your fur coat or silk blouse on a washboard, you have to cleanse and condition your hair gently according to its specific needs.

• DON’T: Over-brush or over-comb the hair. Many people are guilty of this, and I can understand why. For a lot of people the feel of a brush or comb running through the hair feels wonderful. But the purpose of combing and brushing the hair is to remove tangles and make the hair smooth. Once your brush or comb passes easily through the hair, you’re done. If you keep going, you can stress the ends of the hair and lead to damaged ends.

Woman who is brushing her own very long hair — Photo: Africa Images/Canva

• DO: Use the right products for your problem. If you have split ends, use a silicone-based smoothing serum on towel-dried hair and comb it through with a wide-tooth comb. Allow the hair to dry naturally, or if you need to speed up the process, use a diffuser when blow-drying and stop before the hair is fully dry, especially the ends. Apply an additional amount of smoothing serum on your fingers to run through the hair and re-seal any visible split ends.

• DON’T: Expose your hair to rough environments. Everyone loves the idea of driving down the highway with the wind blowing through your hair. But this can be as damaging as a week's worth of heat styling stress. The hair is being whipped in several directions at rapid intervals, and the air that's running through the hair (which feels so good) is leaching away any moisture it can get.

Then there is the fact that the hairs are rubbing against each other, which roughs up the scales of the cuticle layer, making the hair look frizzy. So, as wonderful as it may feel, keep this to a minimum and always keep a scarf in the car so that you can wrap your hair and keep it protected and looking fabulous.

Moreover, with the right scarf tying technique, you can add a little old-style glamour to your road trip. And who doesn't love a bit of glamour?

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

Split-Ender

Does flat ironing cause split ends?

Do split ends stop your hair from growing?

Do you really have to cut away all split ends and splits in the hair shaft?